Mine, Only, Forever
by Belief Among Unrest
Summary: Rin, a beautiful and defiant young woman, catches the eye of the great demon Sesshomaru. Captivated by her beauty, he kidnaps her, intent on making her his wife. But she may not be so easy to persuade...  In progress!
1. Chapter 1

I was pondering today: can beauty and innocence overcome a cruel heart? And, honestly, I'd like to believe that was true. So I decided to make a story about a defiant young girl who melted a demon's heart, and who else is better for that then Sesshomaru and Rin?

This is the first chapter of (hopefully) many! I hope you like it!

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><p>It was only natural that everyone in the palace and surrounding villages knew who she was. If her excellent intelligence and skills in battle weren't enough to gain that status, then surely her immense beauty was the reason.<p>

Rin, a stunning young woman without a known last name, whose loveliness was second to none, and whose boldness was far greater than any one man's, was always the center of attention.

And it was only natural that she loathed it.

Born stubborn and defiant, she hated her entire existence; from the fine clothes and jewelry to the endless line of suitors to the constant attention from the opposite sex, she despised her existence to the very core. She cursed her good looks and damned her abilities, for they brought her nothing but grief.

All she wanted in life was to dance in the flowers.

But being the adopted daughter of a most powerful lord did not come with the freedom to do as one pleases. Instead of picking fruit, she was sewing clothes. Instead of dancing in the rain, she was learning four languages. Instead of making friends, she was making wedding plans. To whom? No one, she claims. But her "father" refuses that answer.

Despite not loving her as much as a real father should, the Lord and his wife were unable to bear children, and had officially made Rin the heir to the throne. The day she received that news she nearly threw herself off the tower.

She couldn't stand her life; the expectations, the men, the flirting, the fancy clothes, the manners, the primness and properness. It was disgusting! She wished more than anything to escape.

After a chance encounter with a demon in the forest, her wish will be granted, if not quite the way and for the reasons she wanted.

XxXxX

Rin was simply sick of all the stares.

Well, leers are more like it. The constant ogling of her dark brown hair and eyes, her slender frame, her delicate fingers, high cheekbones, long lashes, and smooth skin really pissed her off. She had tried many times to chew her finger nails to stubs, or mangle her hair, streak her face with dirt, and cut herself up running through the forest, but she was never let out of their sight.

_Them_ being her adoptive parents, the guards, the servants; all of them watched her night and day, and she was hardly ever alone.

Today, however, she had managed to slip unnoticed past the palace guard, and had taken off into the woods, kicking off her shoes and letting her long hair down, intent to find a pool or hot spring and bathe like normal people had to. She loathed the pampered life.

Stripping her blue kimono printed with pale orange lilies and throwing it carelessly onto a bush, she jumped satisfyingly into the first pool she had come across. The water was cool and refreshing, surrounded by many large rocks that would conceal her from passerby.

She rubbed the cool spring water over her skin, washing off the horrid perfumes and oils, the smells of fine food, and the ridiculous makeup that streaked her eyes and cheeks. It felt like she was being released from suffocation.

She tilted her head back, letting the water take away the oils in her hair from the various products the servants managed to make, and ran her fingers through it, taking out the intricate knots and braids the maids put in.

_Loathe_ was simple too mild a word to describe how she felt about her life. Once, she had overheard her adoptive parents talking about her life before, and she had stuck around to hear the story.

Once, she had been the daughter of a lowly merchant. Her family had been poor, very poor, but happy. They were thrilled to have a daughter, and loved her immensely. They would put flowers in her short hair as a baby, and hum lullabies to her until she fell asleep. They dressed her in cheap rags, for they couldn't afford good clothes, but every night they ate like kings, for her mother grew an amazing garden in their small yard, filled with vegetables, and a single peach tree grew tall.

And that's how she would have grown up, poor but happy, beautiful but not caring, always loved and never idolized. But a pack of wolf demons had come and slaughtered her village, killing everyone but her. She still remembered the leader standing tall over her, his lip curled cruelly. He had told her she was too lovely to kill, and had left her with the corpses of her true mother and father. She had the impression that he would someday find and come back for her.

That's where they had found her, crying and huddled in a ball, and had taken her away. All she had known is that there were people there with her, and she must be safe, so she had let them pick her up and carry her off.

She forgot the rest of the story over time. She hoped, one day, she could forget it all. But the image of her dead parents still stood burned like a tattoo on the inside of her eyelids.

Of course, her "father" had beaten her shamelessly when he'd found her listening, but he had been careful to void her pretty face.

_Pretty_, her mind spat the word. In the vast amount of life and emotions and problems on the planet, what did _pretty_ matter? What did _beautiful_ matter?

Obviously, she knew hardly anything about that life before, a life when _pretty_ wasn't as important as what was in your heart or what was on your plate. That life…she yearned for it.

She sighed, breaking the calm silence that surrounded her. That life was gone now, she thought bitterly, and this is where I am now. I can't go back.

She rubbed some more water on her arms, and stiffened, her back straightening with alertness. She had the sudden, distinctive feeling that she was being watched.

She turned her head slowly, almost casually, her hair covering anything that might be seen, and met a pair of hard golden eyes on a figure from on top of the rocks. She froze, her breathing stopped, and stared back at the tall figure.

It was a demon, that much was obviously from the odd marks on his face. His figure was remarkably human looking, though she doubted this was even his true form. He wore all white clothing, save a yellow obi and some red flower patterns, and black boots. There was something big and fluffy thrown over his shoulder. Shiny armor adorned his chest, and two swords were strapped to his hip. He stared coolly at her, his gaze calculating, and she unfroze enough to slip back down into the water, her eyes never leaving him.

"Who are you?" She asked calmly, deciding the best approach was to be straightforward.

"If you don't already know, then I fail to see how it should matter," was the simple reply. His voice was smooth, almost monotone, but enticing nonetheless.

She laughed without feeling. "Maybe not," she told him. "But I _would_ like to know who spies on me while I bathe."

He was silent. "Who are you that wanders so far out in the woods, alone?" He asked her, ignoring her question.

She raised her eyebrows slightly. "Who I am is none of your concern. I am myself, and that's all you need to know."

He looked hard at her. "You are bold for a mortal woman. Most would cower from me."

"I suppose most would know your name too," she shot back evenly. "But I am not most, and don't associate with demons."

"Apparently, you don't associate with humans either, or you wouldn't be out here in demon territory."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Much as this informal bickering amuses me, I would like to change back into my clothes if it is to continue." She gave him a hard look.

He inclined his head slightly, showing assent, and turned to jump gracefully from the rock, his white hair flying regally above his head. She climbed out carefully and gathered her clothes, her eyes darting around the forest to make sure neither he nor any other demon or human was watching her. When all looked clear, she slipped her clothing and kimono on, not bothering with her discarded shoes or messy hair.

She came around the rocks, expecting the demon to be there, but came upon nothing of the sort. With a careless shrug, she turned to head back, hoping to find some flowers along the way, but the demon was right in front of her, maybe ten yards away.

She lifted her head slightly to look into his face, the emotionless gold eyes, but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring more toward the ground.

"You come from the palace," he stated without preamble. "I can tell by your clothing. But you wear no shoes." There seemed to be a question in that statement.

She shrugged in an unladylike manner. "They come off easily. They are not good for running in the forest."

"Another mystery," he said in the same impassive voice. "A rich and noble palace girl running jovially around the forest, as if demons didn't prowl it and kill anything they see."

"Don't dare to call me rich and noble, much less a palace girl," She snapped, losing her composure for a moment, before regaining it. "It's a temporary home," she said dismissively with a wave of her hand. "I don't intend to stay much longer."

"I see," he said calmly, and she froze for a moment. By the look on his usually inexpressive face, it appeared he _did_ see just what she meant.

She clenched her fists at her sides. It made no difference if a demon knew her intentions. He was only a demon, after all.

"I will make you a deal," he said suddenly, taking a single step closer to her.

"What kind of a deal?" She asked hesitantly, prepared to run. One should never, ever, trust a demon.

"If you tell me your name, and why you intend to run away from the palace, I will help you escape."

She stared blankly at him, all her emotions sealed off. Why would he want to know these things, or help her at all? "Why do any of these things concern a youkai like you?"

He looked unemotionally at her. "They don't," he said without an explanation.

"Then why would you want to help me in return for useless information?" She asked suspiciously.

He gave a small, cruel smile; it was clear to her that he probably didn't know how to actually smile. "Curiosity," he told her.

She stared at him for a moment more, not sure what to do. Eventually, she said, "Rin. My name is Rin. I…want to run away from the palace…because there I am looked at as a trophy. I am beautiful, so I am a prize. I hate everything about that life," she spat. "The fine clothes, the makeup, the hair," she yanked on her locks, "the suitors and proposals…the beatings," she almost whispered, then her face hardened and she glared at the demon. "There. I've told you. But I don't need your help. Being in the debt of a demon is never a good thing, and this much I have learned. I do not desire your aid."

"When the time comes," he told her, his usually detached voice tinged with amusement, "you'll have my help nonetheless. We've made a deal."

She took a step back in fear, suddenly understanding. "You don't intend to free me from their grasp. You intend to kidnap me," she said in horror.

He bowed his head in acknowledgment. "You are rather intelligent. But mistaken. I merely intend to grant your wish."

"My…wish?" She whispered in shock. She shook her head furiously. "Despicable demon!" She shouted. "I won't fall prey to your lies!" She sprinted away, her leg each making a large leap, into the woods and away from the demon. She left her shoes behind.

She half expected him to chase her, and try to capture her, but no figure followed her all the way back to the palace. She arrived aching, and out of breath, sweat running down her back.

Damn, she'd need to take another bath now.

With one final look out into the now darkening sky, she scanned the woods, before finding it clear and heading inside to confront her punishment for running away.

XxXxX

She had a new bruise to show on her side for running away today.

Her "father" had been clearly displeased with what he considered a shameful act of disobedience. He had locked her in her room, stationing guards outside the door and sending more to patrol the grounds below, lest she try to run away through the window. He most definitely did not trust her.

She closed the curtains violently, nearly ripping the delicate material. She really hated her adoptive family. They held a sliver of love toward her, but the beatings were an obvious sign that that love did not rein supreme.

She turned from the window, staring into the darkness that enveloped her room. "I should have accepted that demon's offer," she mumbled to herself. "It would surely be easier to escape him than it could possibly be to escape this place." She sat on the edge of her bed, fingers clenching and unclenching in the material of her bedspread as she devised a new plan to run away.

"I'll wait a few nights," she whispered to herself, the puzzle falling into place in her mind even as she was saying it. "I'll be the perfect daughter: I'll do my duties without complaint, I'll get up early and go to sleep late. I'll be…" _horrid_ she thought bitterly. _That's what a life like that is. Horrid._

"Trapped," a voice spoke from behind her.

She turned rapidly, but didn't even have time to scream before a thin, green hand shot out to cover her mouth, and she found she couldn't breathe. She quickly fell prey to unconsciousness.

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><p>Review, and a quick update is guaranteed! I think you'll like where this is going ;D<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Oi, jeesh, there are SO many pieces I'm working on right now, it's not even funny. I was going to upload two chapters when I got internet again, but my grandma's broken wi-fi suddenly started working in the midst of hurricane Irene, and I got to upload sooner! How about that! Well, I'm going to do some more work on this, my oneshots Distractions, Short Skirts, The Bet, and Summer Escapade, and I haven't updated My Captor in a while, so I should get working on that too. Really, my laptop is full of crap.

Now that the boring author's note is done, we shall commence!

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><p>When Rin awoke, it felt like the floor was moving.<p>

It took her a moment to realize: one, she was not on any floor of any sort; and two, she _was_ moving.

She bolted upright, only to discover that her stomach didn't like such rapid movements, and she fell back down, white dots dancing behind her eyelids. It then came to her attention that her legs had been tied down, and her arms were trapped behind her back, bound by thick, scratchy rope. She struggled against them for a moment, before realizing that it was futile, and her head pounded after the effort.

She opened her eyes after a moment of deep breathing, squinting into the darkness and letting her eyes adjust to the night around her. She was in a forest, that much was obvious from the tall, looming shadows around her, but which woods, and where, were the real questions. The night was too dark to make out anything specific, like the type of trees, or any type of flowers that could give her a clue to her whereabouts. There were no sounds of water either, and the wind wasn't blowing at all.

She turned her attention to the seat she was sprawled uncomfortably on. It appeared to be a saddle of some sort, and she felt immediately afraid. Horses terrified her, a fear that had been instilled in her heart since as long as she could remember. It was only when she turned her head slowly and spotted its second head that she understood it was no horse, not even close to one; it was most definitely a demon.

She opened her mouth the scream, but no sound came out. She choked on her own inability to shout while coughing up nothing, turning on her side so she could heave easier, the air forcing its way uncomfortably out of her lungs.

"Hmm? Oh, you're awake," a high-pitched voice sounded from behind her. She jerked around to her other side, horrified, expecting a terrible monstrosity with intents to eat her face off, and came face to face with—

—a very short, green imp.

Her mouth smoothed out into a puzzled line, and then she smiled, her eyes crinkling around the edges. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something along the lines of, _what a cute toad creature,_ but her voice stayed mute. She tried again, but still, no sound passed through her lips. She frowned, feeling panic bloom since she couldn't speak.

"Don't bother trying to talk," it said in what was almost a scolding manner. "I've knocked you out with some pretty powerful toxins, and it's canceled out your ability to do certain things, like communicating. You may also feel a bit lightheaded or nauseous. But don't worry; it won't have any lasting effect. It should wear off in about an hour or two."

She tilted her head to the side, scrutinizing what she could see of him in the dark. He was very short, that much she could tell in the shadows, and he carried a staff of some sort. The top looked vaguely like two human heads set opposite each other, its outline visible amongst the shadows. She decided he didn't scare her in the least, so she grinned at him. He looked startled at her sudden expression.

"Why do you smile so, girl?" He asked in an irritated voice. "Never mind, don't answer that," he added as an afterthought, seeming to forget his own advice. "You just sit still and don't fall off. We should be arriving soon enough."

_Where?_ Rin mouthed to him. He seemed to get what she was saying.

"Why, the castle in the Western Lands of course," he said it as though it were obvious, a vague, wide wave of his arm suggesting at its splendor and importance.

The Western Lands? She thought to herself. The castle where the mighty demon lord lived? Of course, she had only heard rumors of such a place, passed around by villagers and guards to discourage each other from venturing out into such dangerous areas, but in a world where demons were as real as people, some with feelings just like them, nothing could be passed up for false.

_Why?_ Was the next question her lips formed.

He narrowed his large eyes at her. "That's for you to find out when we get there, girl."

_Who are you?_ Was her final question.

He puffed out his chest proudly, and spoke in an arrogant voice. "Jaken, the imp."

She stared blankly at him, and he appeared to deflate a bit, his shoulders hunching over. "I'm not that well known," he admitted weakly.

She sniggered at him.

"Aha!" He cried suddenly, staring at something over her shoulder. "We've arrived at last."

When she turned her head to see where he indicated, she was somewhat shocked at the view presented. The castle was easily ten times the size of her adoptive parents', and that was fairly impressive as it was. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale, with tall towers looming almost into the clouds it seemed, and a large ornate door big enough to fit a troll. Strangely though, windows were sparse, and there were no flags like on a human's castle. The grass had all withered and died, and there wasn't a flower to be seen. The night gave the place an eerie feel, and Rin shivered in her white nightdress.

They passed dying trees that were hunched over and looked like they hadn't seen rain or sun in months, and dead leaves crunched noisily under the demon's feet. Her mouth was opened in a dismayed expression at the wide amount of death and decay surrounding her.

Jaken seemed to notice her alarm and said in a slightly irritated voice, "The Lord cares not for the condition of the lands around him," he told her. "He only cares that no wandering soul walks among his property. And there's no use is hiring someone for it, because then there'd be another person wandering around his privacy, and the Lord favors his solitude greatly."

So he lives here alone? She thought to herself, frowning. Wasn't that lonesome? Then again, it wasn't that hard to believe. Most demons didn't associate with anyone, even others of their kind. They were a very isolated, private bunch.

_But doesn't the sun ever shine on them? _She mouthed. _Does it ever rain?_

He looked at her as if she's grown more heads than the thing they were riding on. "No," he said slowly. "Why would it?"

She shook her head dismissively. That was odd. She'd never known of a place where rain never fell or sun never shined. Maybe this demon could control the weather? Or, at least, had someone who owed him a debt doing it for him. But why bother turning your home into a land of unhappiness and sorrow?

"AhUn," the imp barked.

The demon seemed to understand his intentions. It trotted over to a tree that still seemed to be clinging onto a shred of life, it's faded leaves still gripping to the withering branches, Rin bouncing in its saddle, and plopped down onto the dry dirt, sending up a plume of dust. Jaken rolled clumsily off, making a painful noise when he hit the ground, but Rin stayed where she was, her tied legs anchoring her in place. She giggled quietly at the imp brushing himself off indignantly.

"AhUn," he reprimanded crossly, sending the demon an admonishing look.

The two-headed demon exhaled what could be considered a laugh. Jaken waddled—waddled! He waddled!—over to her, setting his odd two-headed, human-faced staff on the ground, and started fumbling with the bindings on her legs.

"Don't try to run," he told her severely when he had successfully undone the ropes around her legs. "AhUn may look like a lazy bum, but he's as powerful a demon as I am."

She raised an eyebrow at him, skeptical of his idea of "powerful." But since he seemed to be a rather self-important demon with a pretty high opinion of himself, she would take his word for it that the AhUn would catch her quite easily.

She clambered unsteadily to her feet, then immediately plopped back down on the ground, black spots dancing in front of her eyes.

"Oh yeah," the imp said, snapping his fingers. "You'll be feeling awful if you try to move too much. So…" he trailed off, scratching his head. "Walk…slowly?" He undid her hand bindings too, gauchely. She rubbed her wrists where the rope had chafed her skin off, wincing at the tender feeling of abused flesh.

She stood again, but immediately fell back down, bowing her head so that it was between her knees, gasping for air. She truly felt dreadful.

"Stupid girl!" The imp exclaimed, flailing about. "I told you to go slowly!" Rin would have had a sharp retort if she could have spoken.

"Jaken," a voice said from somewhere behind Rin, who nearly leaped at the surprisingly familiar voice. "What have you done?"

She jumped up, whirling around to try and locate the figure from whom the voice came from, but only caught a glimpse of a man's outline before she started plummeting toward the earth. Something caught her mid fall though, picking her feet up off the ground. It felt like she was lying in someone's arms—some who, strangely, felt human.

She tried to locate a face, but the world was spinning horridly fast, and she squinted her eyes shut, willing herself to not throw up.

"Jaken," the voice said again. The imp dropped into a bow immediately. "What did you do to her?"

"I-I'm sorry milord," he said, murmuring apologies rapidly. "I used a toxin that would make her pass out so I could bring her here without struggle. It has lasting side effects so she can't talk or move very well." He spoke faster than Rin's spinning head could keep up with. "It won't last much longer, though," he said even quicker. "I'd give it another hour and she should be back to normal. She just needs rest."

Silence reined for a moment, broken only by Rin's labored breathing as she tried to keep the contents of her stomach down while trying to ignore the headache growing in her head.

Finally, the familiar voice spoke again. "I'll deal with you later," it said coldly.

Yes, she definitely knew that voice.

But she'd have to wait until she saw his face to know for certain. And if she was right…well, she just didn't want to think about that yet.

Jaken's apologizing rant could be heard getting farther away. She chanced opening her eyes, only to come squeeze them shut once more. She definitely didn't favor this particular poison.

She also didn't favor being carried like she was an incapable child. The person—or demon, which was the more obvious choice judging from the face she connected the voice to—had one arm under her knees, and one under her upper back, carrying her bridal style. She would have squirmed free if she thought she was capable of it. But as it was the twisting in her belly discouraged all kinds of movement, though it was lessening as time passed.

After a few minutes of walking, where her abdomen strongly protested at her being alive at the moment, she felt her back press against something soft. She chanced opening her eyes, trying to locate the figure that had carried her in the dark.

But there was nothing there. Only darkness was visible.

Rin concluded she was on a bed. She tried to move, but every simple action caused a pounding in her head and a complaint in her belly. She gave up after a moment with a sigh.

_I could escape easily_, she thought, trying to make herself feel better. _I've trained myself to be strong and fight. I did it if anything like this ever happened._ But despite her positive words, she knew she'd never be able to do it in her current condition. The poison had really affected her body.

It's him, she thought confidently. The demon from the woods today—or was it yesterday now?—the one who had intended to help her escape—or kidnap her—from the castle. But what on earth would he want her for?

Maybe he had some argument with her "parents." Her adoptive father and mother never did have any generosity toward any other being—human, demon, or other. They could have angered this powerful demon lord and he may want revenge for their slighting.

Well, he would be disappointed in how badly _that_ plan would turn out. They hardly loved her like a real daughter, and any love they did have would not be strong enough to raise bitter feelings toward this demon that stole her.

Her headache only spread the more she thought about the demons intentions for bringing her here. With a small groan, she surrendered herself to sleep.

Jaken could still be heard gasping apologies outside as darkness descended over her mind.

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><p>Holy crap, brain blown. I need to take a break. My writing has been non-stop. I should probably feed my mouse too. And finish my AP summer homework. And invite those people to my party in two days...hmm...<p>

Nah, I'll keep writing.


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